1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a detergent-supply system and a washing machine using the same, and more particularly to a detergent-supply system for converting a channel of water so as to fully eliminate remaining detergent and a washing machine using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a washing machine is an apparatus for washing laundry, such as clothing and bedding, using action of wash water and detergent through washing, rinsing, and dehydrating operations, thereby removing contaminants from the laundry.
Since detergent is directly poured into a tub of the conventional washing machine, it is difficult to pour a proper quantity of the detergent and the laundry may be discolored. Accordingly, a separated detergent-supply unit is installed at the upper part of the washing machine.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional washing machine. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the conventional washing machine. FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of a conventional detergent-supply system.
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a detergent-supply system of the conventional washing machine 10 comprises a housing 20 installed at the upper part of the washing machine 10 and provided with an outlet 22 formed through one side thereof, and a detergent container 30 slidably installed in the housing 20 for containing detergent.
The bottom surface of the housing 20 is inclined so that the detergent and the wash water flow towards the outlet 22, and the outlet 22 is connected to a water supply hole of a tub 12 through a water supply bellows 14.
The detergent container 30 includes a hand lever 32 formed on the front surface thereof so that the hand lever 32 is drawn by a user, and an opening 34 formed through the rear part thereof so that the detergent and the wash water are discharged from the detergent container 30 to the housing 20 through the opening 34.
Hereinafter, operation of the above-described detergent-supply system of the conventional washing machine will be described in detail.
First, the wash water, which is supplied to the detergent container 30, is mixed with the detergent in the detergent container 30, and the mixture flows downwardly through the opening 34 of the detergent container 30 and is supplied to the rear part of the housing 20.
The wash water and the detergent, which were supplied to the housing 20, are discharged to the outlet 22 of the housing 20 along the inclined bottom surface of the housing 20.
The wash water and the detergent, which passed through the outlet 22, are supplied to the tub 12 through the water supply bellows 14 connected to the outlet 22.
In the conventional detergent-supply system, a portion of the wash water, which flowed from the detergent container 30 to the rear part of the housing 20, is pushed to the front part of the housing 20 opposite to the outlet 22 by the pressure of the water, and the detergent together with the wash water is pushed to the front part of the housing 20, thereby remaining in the front part of the housing 20.
When the detergent, which was pushed to the front part of the housing 20, remains on the bottom surface of the housing 20, a fixed quantity of the detergent cannot be used to wash the laundry. Further, the remaining detergent is solidified, and, when the remaining detergent is dissolved in water during a rinsing operation, rinsing capacity is deteriorated.
Since the wash water flows to the rear part of the housing 20, and is discharged to the outside of the housing 20 through the outlet 22, the detergent remaining in the front part of the housing 20 cannot be dissolved in the wash water. Accordingly, a separate device for supplying water to the front part of the housing 20 is additionally required.